Thursday, September 12, 2024
The seventh Africa Tourism Management Discussion board (ATLF) occurred in Gaborone, Botswana from September 4-6, 2024, specializing in sustainable tourism, intra-African journey, and funding. The occasion gathered over 500 individuals from 43 nations, representing the journey, tourism, hospitality, and aviation industries. The theme, “Charting a New Path Forward for Intra-Africa Travel, Tourism, and Investments,” highlighted efforts to cut back journey restrictions, enhance funding, and encourage regional collaboration for tourism progress.
Vice President and Performing President of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane, inaugurated the discussion board, emphasizing tourism as a key driver of financial diversification throughout Africa. He identified Botswana’s dedication to turning into a hub for Conferences, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) occasions, enhancing the nation’s tourism technique.
Key areas of focus included sustainable tourism practices, selling regional journey inside Africa, and empowering ladies, youth, and small companies within the tourism sector. The discussion board additionally addressed the challenges of visa restrictions and fragmented aviation networks, advocating for higher regional integration underneath the African Continental Free Commerce Space (AfCFTA) settlement. The discussion board concluded with a name to motion for tourism stakeholders to undertake private-sector-driven approaches to foster inclusive and sustainable tourism progress throughout Africa.
The occasion positioned Botswana as a number one vacation spot for MICE tourism and emphasised its numerous choices, from wildlife experiences within the Okavango Delta to cultural and journey tourism.
Empowering Marginalized GroupsEmpowering ladies, youth, and SMEs was one other main theme on the occasion, with discussions on entrepreneurship and alternatives for underrepresented teams in tourism. Tsogwane offered Botswana’s Nationwide Tourism Technique and the event of latest Tourism Growth Areas (TDAs), geared toward increasing tourism past conventional locations and into underserved areas.
